What does the Water element represent in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and how is it linked to rest and regeneration? Let’s see how the far infrared sauna can support this energy.
“Water: purifying the body’s fluids through the proper work of the kidneys and bladder creates strength, cleanliness and therefore the drive for a new life”
(L.A. Gargiulo, Shiatsu)
Smarty Sauna 2.0 is a device that combines modern technology with ancient Japanese principles that have provided “traditional” care for the body and its detoxification for centuries.
For over 300 years in Japan it has been customary to cover the body with sand near certain hot springs. This practice, based on the use of diffused heat, has been considered a true “cure” for centuries, allowing the body to eliminate toxins and purify itself through sweating.
The far infrared rays emitted by Smarty Sauna work in the same way as the sun’s rays warming the sand, exposing us to heat without the harmful effects of UV rays. This allows deep cellular regeneration and purifies the body from a polluted, stressful environment that constantly “clogs” our cells and therefore our metabolic system. A body cannot be called “healthy”, nor can it function efficiently, if it is saturated with toxic and harmful substances, found not only in the air but also in the chemical additives of the food we normally eat.
Smarty Sauna 2.0 is a modern application of ancient Japanese knowledge combined with the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the theory of the 5 elements.
Looking at the Water element
Water is the most abundant element in the human body; we are made of 75% water. This means that Smarty’s far infrared rays can “resonate” beneficially with the cells of our body, allowing deep purification in a completely natural way.
The organs connected to the Water element are the kidneys and the urinary bladder, considered two complementary meridians. Their season is winter, which brings two possibilities. The first is that the energy of these organs will be at its most efficient in this season; the second is that we may experience a deficiency in the functioning of the kidneys and bladder. Remember that in winter water tends to freeze and crystallise, which blocks the natural flow in the body of both the Water element and the energetic qualities connected to these organs. In both cases, however, using Smarty Sauna 2.0 can be not only useful but even advisable. Let’s see how.
The primary function of the kidneys is to “filter” the blood and produce urine, isolating and eliminating substances that are toxic to the body. At the same time, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the kidneys, together with the liver, are considered the organ most closely linked to vitality. They control the essential energy throughout the body and watch over the body’s defence against stress. This role gives the kidneys the ability to manage our fears and the way we react to the world. Our aggressiveness, our reactivity, our flight (adrenaline), or our calm and ability to put out what flares up are managed by the kidneys. Regular use of Smarty Sauna helps manage stress levels thanks to negative ions, regulating serotonin [The effect on serotonin and MDA levels in depressed patients with insomnia when far-infrared rays are applied to acupoints]. Exposure to negative ions can also reduce anxiety by lowering cortisol levels [Stress-reducing effect of Negative Air Ions]. With less stress and anxiety through exposure to negative ions, the body’s general sense of wellbeing improves.
The kidneys purify the blood of the toxins in the body by producing urine, which is then carried out of the body by the bladder. But these substances are also eliminated through sweating. Thanks to far infrared, Smarty Sauna induces sweating in a natural and controlled way.
Some views, such as Chinese medicine, link each organ to a specific emotional tendency.
Just as a comparison: fifteen minutes of sauna eliminate the same amount of heavy metal particles that the kidneys eliminate in 24 hours. Sweating in the sauna appears to be a valid way to eliminate toxic substances from the body. Sweating eliminates heavy metals and helps us defend ourselves better against infections.
Bladder and urine
The bladder, the meridian complementary to the kidney, is physiologically responsible for releasing urine, the end product of the purification of the body’s fluids; this is the final phase of the transformation of energies, as urine is an impure fluid loaded with toxins and waste.
In the “energetic” view of the organs in TCM, the bladder meridian is connected to the whole urinary system, as well as to the ears, the pituitary gland, the bones and the autonomic nervous system, which contribute to the kidneys’ secretion. It is a meridian located along the whole back of the body. This shows the close link between the structure of the spine and our physical and psychological posture, influenced precisely by the energy of the bladder. Good support of our structure shows psychologically in the drive we have towards life, in our ability to take action, to “decide”, to have willpower, determination and rigour, and it is associated with the sense of hearing.
Urine after a Smarty Sauna 2.0 session contains a higher concentration of toxic substances eliminated by the body. In the study “Blood, Urine, and Sweat (BUS) Study: Monitoring and Elimination of Bioaccumulated Toxic Elements”, researchers analysed the concentration of about 120 toxic substances in the urine, blood and sweat of 20 participants (10 healthy, 10 with various health problems), 11 men and 9 women aged between 44 and 46.
The participants agreed to give a sample of their first morning urine, 200 ml of blood and 100 ml of sweat.
Each participant’s sweat was collected during an infrared sauna session (of 10 participants, 7 used a normal sauna and 3 gave it after intense physical activity) by running a spatula over the body and transferring the sweat into a glass container.
The sweat was collected one week before or after the blood sample.
Many substances were eliminated through sweat: it is thought that this is because they are stored in the tissues rather than in the blood.
Different amounts of toxic elements were found in blood, urine and sweat.
However, it is important to remind sauna users that the loss of essential minerals through sweating (also shown in the study data) must be replaced to make up for what is lost during the sauna.
Smarty Sauna 2.0 offers a great opportunity to take care of yourself comfortably at home in a unique and holistic way. Detoxifying deeply, regenerating and finding a sense of relaxation and renewal in the comfort of your own home with Smarty Sauna 2.0 is possible.
Happy sauna to everyone, at home too.
Read also the articles on the other elements: Earth, Wood, Fire and Metal.
To learn more about the origins of this model, you can read the Wikipedia article on the five elements theory (Wu Xing).
